The subject matter herein relates generally to flexible bus bars for battery connector systems.
Battery modules, such as those for electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles, typically includes a plurality of cells grouped together to form the battery modules. The battery modules are connected together to form battery packs. Each of the cells includes positive and negative cell terminals that are electrically connected together. The positive and negative cell terminals are connected using bus bars. Typically, the positive and negative cell terminals typically include a threaded post or bolt. The bus bar is connected to the post using a nut. Such connections are time consuming, and may have other problems such as over or under torque, or cross threading. In other configurations, the problems with the threaded post or bolt is avoided by welding the bus bars to the cell terminals. However, problems arise in welding the bus bars to the cell terminals. For example, welding, such as with laser welding, requires good physical contact between the bus bar and the corresponding cell terminals. However, problems arise when the cell terminals are at different vertical positions due to manufacturing position tolerance stack up. Having rigid bus bars is problematic because when one side of the bus bar is pressed downward to press against the corresponding terminal, the other side of the bus bar may be lifted upward off of the corresponding cell terminal.
A need remains for battery modules that use low cost, flexible bus bars for termination of the bus bars to the cell terminals.